Willie Mullins, whose domination of Irish National Hunt racing last season was all but absolute, added another £140,000 to his prize-money total for the year when Thousand Stars retained the Grand Course de Haies D'Auteuil in Paris on Sunday.

The three-mile one-furlong Grade One contest is generally seen as France's equivalent of the Champion Hurdle, and Thousand Stars, the 15-8 favourite, comfortably saw off the home challenge, quickening clear of Nikita Du Berlais in the closing stages under Ruby Walsh. "He's an iron horse," Mullins said.

"He's just too tough and it's amazing how he's raced from the Morgiana [Hurdle at Punchestown in November] up to today and not missed a Festival.

"He pulled out as fresh as paint today. To win a race like this two years in a row is just fantastic. He seems to love this track and these hurdles suit him."

Mullins also sent out Mourad and Zaidpour to finish fourth and fifth respectively, while Cape Tribulation, trained in Britain by Malcolm Jefferson, was prominent in the early stages but faded once the race started in earnest.

Sharestan, who won the Irish Lincoln in April, stepped up to Listed company with a half-length victory in the feature race on the card at The Curragh on Sunday, the Coolmore Stud Silver Stakes.

Heavy ground forced Sharestan, the 8-11 favourite, to work for victory, but he wore down the front-running Defining Year in the closing stages and may now move up to Group company at the same track on Irish Derby day in just under three weeks' time. "It's very gluey ground in the straight and [this 10 furlongs] is probably the limit of his stamina," John Oxx, Sharestan's trainer, said. "Maybe he'll be better coming back in distance.

"I'd like to think he might be better than [his rating of] 108, but he has to prove it, but I think there is plenty more to come from him and I think he could run well in better company. We might try a Group Three next time."

Oxx also reported that Saddler's Rock, last year's Doncaster Cup winner, is on course for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot later this month following his second place behind Midnight Soprano, who received 10lb, in the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown on Friday.

"He came out of the race fine and only lost a couple of kilos," Oxx said. "He had a nice race, not too taxing a race and he's been fine. He did a canter this morning and he's in good shape."

Saddler's Rock is top-priced at 6-1 for the Gold Cup, the same price as Opinion Poll, who was four lengths behind him at Town Moor last September.